Final Draft’s Big Break Now Open for Entries

Mar 30, 2026

Get ready for your Big Break!

Is this your big screenwriting career break?

The Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest is NOW OPEN for entries.

Don’t miss out on the chance to share over $80,000 in cash and prizes, and kickstart your screenwriting career with meetings with executives, producers and managers.

Big Break winners and finalists alike have had their screenplays optioned and produced and have secured high-profile representation as well as lucrative writing deals.

This year’s deadlines/prices:

Early Bird Deadline
Monday, April 27, 2026

Shorts: $35.00
Feature & Television: $45.00
Diversity Feature & Television Entry: $45.00
Shorts Entry + Feedback: $80.00
Feature & Television + Feedback: $115.00
Diversity Feature & Television + Feedback: $115.00

Regular Deadline
Monday, May 18, 2026

Shorts: $45.00
Feature & Television: $65.00
Diversity Feature & Television Entry: $65.00
Shorts Entry + Feedback: $90.00
Feature & Television + Feedback: $135.00
Diversity Feature & Television + Feedback: $135.00

Final Deadline
Monday, June 8, 2026

Shorts: $55.00
Feature & Television: $75.00
Diversity Feature & Television Entry: $75.00
Shorts Entry + Feedback: $100.00
Feature & Television + Feedback: $145.00
Diversity Feature & Television + Feedback: $145.00

Extended Deadline
Monday, June 29, 2026

Shorts: $65.00
Feature & Television: $85.00
Diversity Feature & Television Entry: $85.00
Shorts Entry + Feedback: $110.00
Feature & Television + Feedback: $155.00
Diversity Feature & Television + Feedback: $155.00

MORE INFO

Dates reflect deadlines for electronic submission of scripts.
All entries must be electronically submitted by midnight (Pacific Time) on their respective deadlines.

The Contest That Means Career Success

The coordinators of the contest proactively reach out to industry professionals and introduce them to the writers and the work of the writers who place and/or win the competition. It exposes a writer’s work to industry professionals, including but not limited to, agents, managers, producers and studio/streamer executives, who vet and judge the scripts throughout the process, and exposure is the name of the game when you are starting out”

Jeff Portnoy
Bellevue Productions, 2026 Big Break Contest judge

Benefits & Prizes

2 Grand Prize Award Winners: One Feature Grand Prize and one TV Grand Prize winner will be selected from the 11 Feature Genre and TV Format award winners.

Each Grand Prize Award Winner:

Winners receive the prizes below plus the prizes listed under the Category Winners section.

$10,000 Cash
Apple iPad
Dell XPS Laptop
Roundtrip airfare to Los Angeles plus 3 night hotel accommodation
Admission to one Robert McKee Virtual Story Seminar
1-year subscription to ScriptHop
60-90 minute career/meeting prep session from screenwriting career coach Lee Jessup
Copy of Save the Cat! Story Structure Software and book
Signed copy of The Screenwriter’s Bible by Dave Trottier
Final Draft Go^™ App for iPhone and iPad

Additional prizes for TV Grand Prize winner:

Script Consultation from Jen Grisanti Inc.
One-hour career coaching session with Carole Kirschner to create a personalized game plan for leveraging the contest win.

Each Feature and TV Category Winners Receives:

$1,000 Cash
Final Draft 13
The New York Film Academy - Attend multi-week online immersive program in both film & television writing
5 Career coaching sessions with screenwriting coach Lee Jessup
60-minute webinar with screenwriting career coach Lee Jessup on how to capitalize on your Big Break win
Participation in a 6-Week Teleseminar from Jen Grisanti Inc.
One year subscription of MasterWriter software
Free Big Break Contest entry for 2027
Script coverage from Big Break readers
A Copy of ‘Save The Cat! Strikes Back’ by screenwriter Blake Snyder
6 month subscription to ScriptHop

Short Script Winner Receives:

$5,000 Cash
Final Draft 13
Free Big Break Contest entry for 2027
6 month subscription to ScriptHop
One year subscription of MasterWriter software

*Please note: prizes are subject to change